Rift appears in NW ANC regions

Justice Makolomakwa, an ANC regional leader in the North West, appealed to other regions not to take the national leadership to court over the removal of Supra Mahumapelo’s provincial executive committee. Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

One of the biggest ANC regions in the North West has distanced itself from a move to take its national party to court over its decision to disband the provincial executive committee (PEC) under Supra Mahumapelo.

Justice Makolomakwa - district mayor and ANC chairperson of Ngaka Modiri Molema region - has appealed to three of his fellow regional leaders not to take the ANC to court.

“As the chairperson of the Ngaka Modiri Molema regional executive committee, I appeal to ANC members to desist from taking the ANC to court, issuing conflicting statements against the ANC national executive committee (NEC) resolutions and further calling for all ANC members to distance themselves from the current court process,” Makolomakwa said.

He is distancing himself despite being cited in the letter to the ANC as one of the complainants. Makolomakwa made the call moments after ANC regional leaders met ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte to discuss the impasse in Rustenburg on Friday. The meeting came after the ANC NEC and secretary-general Ace Magashule were served with letters of demand to withdraw their August 31 decision to disband Mahumapelo’s ANC PEC.

The call by Makolomakwa shows cracks between him and his counterparts, especially Gaolatlhe Kgabo - ANC regional secretary at Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region - a strong supporter of Mahumapelo. Kgabo was adamant that it would take the ANC to court if it failed to reverse its decision.

But Makolomakwa disagreed and, instead, said it was high time that ANC members reconciled, united and focused on alleviating poverty affecting North West residents. “In pursuit of unity in the region and province, a call is made to all ANC members and structures, including the Alliance Partners, to rally behind one banner of a united ANC, and further declare support for the Provincial Task Team (PTT) convener Professor Job Mokgoro as well as the still-to- be announced inclusive PTT,” Makolomakwa said.

But those supporting Mahumapelo have set their sights on court action if the ANC failed to respond positively to their letter of demand this week. In their letter, Eric Mabuza of Mabuza Attorneys said his clients; ANC Kenneth Kaunda region in Klerksdorp; Bojanala region in Rustenburg; Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati in Vryburg and Ngaka Modiri in Mafikeng; were of the view that the NEC’s decision to disband their province was “unlawful” and its national leadership failed to consult with branches.

“The decision to disband the PEC is unlawful for deviating from the recommendation of the NEC’s permanent deployees to the North West province. “These deployees recommended that the organisation in the North West be strengthened. “None of the deployees to any of the four regions recommended that the PEC be disbanded.

“In the light of this fact, we require urgent reasons from the NEC why, notwithstanding the recommendations of its permanent deployees, a decision was taken to disband the PEC,” Mabuza wrote.